katia@epsteincreative.com, Author at Global Facility Solutions (GFS)

Global Facility Solutions recently completed Commissioning Agent Services for Johns Hopkins Medicine’s new Green Spring Station Pavilion III. The GFS team performed fundamental commissioning of the HVAC systems and controls to verify and document that energy-related systems were installed, calibrated and performing according to the design intent and the owner’s project requirements.

Global Facility Solutions is pleased to continue working with Jones Lang LaSalle at 700 13th Street, NW, Washington, DC. GFS will provide engineering design, contractor bidding and construction administration services to replace the building’s emergency generator.

Did you know? Energy audits can determine how much energy your facility uses, diagnose problem areas, and identify ways to make your building more energy efficient. Global Facility Solutions is pleased to conduct energy facility audits for the following new clients: Healthy Neighborhoods, Our Lady of Good Counsel and Tax Analysts.

Global Facility Solutions is pleased to partner with Jones Lang LaSalle and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. During a two-floor tenant renovation and improvement project at the CPB headquarters in Washington, D.C., GFS will provide commissioning services for HVAC controls, electrical systems, lighting controls and safety systems.

Global Facility Solutions is proud to provide technical services consulting and energy savings analysis to Clorox Manufacturing Company. Pictured here, Senior Mechanical Engineer Jack Stitz conducts a facility audit to determine the feasibility of energy conservation measures. The ultimate goal is to recommend upgrades that will reduce energy consumption and qualify the facility for BGE Smart Energy Custom Rebates.

Global Facility Solutions is proud to announce our partnership with Howard County Government to provide commissioning services at three new county office locations. GFS will act as the Commissioning Agent and perform Functional Testing of the HVAC systems, building automation/controls and emergency generator systems located at two County office locations and one stand-alone data center facility.

Global Facility Solutions, working under the prime UESC energy contractor, WGL Energy, performed a Boiler Plant Decentralization project at the Ft. Detrick Army Installation located in Frederick, Maryland. The goal of the project was to reduce annual energy costs by shutting down the older central steam plant. This objective was achieved by decentralizing facilities receiving steam heating from the central plant and installing separate higher efficiency heating systems located directly in the buildings they serve.

The installation of the new boiler systems reduced energy usage at the army post, and based on engineering estimates, will provide energy savings of over $1.3 million per year.

GFS provided Project Development; Engineering Design including MEP, Architectural, Structural and Civil; Construction Administration Services; Commissioning and M&V Savings Analysis to WGL Energy (prime contractor).

Global Facility Solutions completed the Engineering Design and Construction Management for the installation of a new central heating and domestic hot water system at the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel located in Baltimore, MD. GFS provided construction management services for the installation of gas-fired heating and domestic hot water boilers and electric steam boilers to replace existing third-party delivered steam systems. To support the installation of new systems, GFS developed engineering permit drawings, managed contractor bidding and selection, and provided construction management on behalf of hotel ownership. GFS also provided assistance with system start-up and commissioning to verify performance of all installed and upgraded systems.

In August 2018, the EPA updated performance metrics for U.S. buildings in the ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager® based on the most recent market data available. If you benchmark one or more properties in Portfolio Manager, your buildings’ 1–100 ENERGY STAR scores and other source energy metrics were updated across all time periods to reflect the latest performance metrics. This update was part of EPA’s standard process to keep ENERGY STAR metrics as current as possible, and reflective of current market performance.

How did this impact ENERGY STAR scores?

The 1-100 ENERGY STAR score compares your building’s energy performance to that of similar buildings nationwide. Because the ENERGY STAR score is a comparison with the national building stock, and the national building stock has improved in efficiency over the past decade, the average ENERGY STAR score for most building types will have gone down after the model updates.

What other changes were part of the update?

A new option for data center estimates was added for estimated energy in smaller data centers. A new national source energy factor was added to help level the playing field for different fuel types.

Which property types were affected?

The 1-100 ENERGY STAR score models were updated for bank branches, courthouses, financial offices, hotels, houses of worship K-12 schools, offices, retail, supermarkets and warehouses.

How Can Global Facilities Solutions Help?

Global Facility Solutions (GFS) offers a host of services that are focused on reducing energy consumption within commercial buildings. GFS can help your ENERGY STAR score by providing:

Review of ENERGY STAR input data and sensitivity analysis,
Energy Audit of your facility to identify opportunities for reducing your energy consumption and boosting your score,
Retro-commissioning services to evaluate, adjust and update operational sequences that impact energy consumption.
Identification and implementation of energy saving retrofits and HVAC system updates. GFS can design and implement upgrades to DDC Controls, mechanical HVAC systems, lighting and lighting controls.

BGE has selected GFS for a new Small Building Tune-up Pilot Program under the Smart Energy Rewards Incentive program. GFS is providing turn-key Retro-Commissioning and Building Tune-up services under the program with very little upfront cost to the owner. GFS is paid directly by BGE through the incentive payout for the services that are rendered through the RCx program. Overall, the BGE incentive program is well funded and incentive dollars remain available for all rebate programs at this time. GFS continues to monitor the programs and funding through regular meetings and communications with BGE and ICF International so that we can update our clients as soon as program changes are noted.

Pepco Maryland and DelMarva Power Utility Incentive programs have been placed on hold at this time. All submitted projects are being placed on a waitlist until further notice. Available funds for this program period have been utilized and future funds must be approved by the Public Utility Commission before further incentive payouts can be approved. GFS continues to monitor the status of the Pepco and DelMarva incentive programs and will provide additional updates here as they become available. At this time, we are not developing incentive programs in these utility territories until funds become available.